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Home My WebLink AboutLEGACY SENIOR RESIDENCES - PDP - PDP120015 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTJ. Birdsall 3/14/12 Page 2 of 2 support native cottonwood trees and other riparian species when more mesic soil moisture levels are created by proximity to the river corridor. Based on these considerations the following mitigation recommendations are provided for the Legacy Senior Housing development parcel. The area between the Legacy Senior Housing property boundary and the native grass strip maintained by Parks and Recreation should be planted with an upland riparian vegetation mix, including shrubs and trees, to create a transitional zone of native upland riparian vegetation. The goal of these plantings should be to create a self-sustaining, native vegetation community to stabilize soils and enhance wildlife habitat. Plantings of native shrubs and trees would also provide visual screening between development and important habitat and recreation areas. Habitat enhancement plantings would likely require soil treatment to relieve compaction (ripping) and improve fertility (fertilizer amendments). Supplemental irrigation would also be needed for initial establishment of native shrubs and trees. Suggested species for planting include the following deciduous trees and shrubs. Deciduous Trees eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) lanceleaf cottonwood (Populus acuminata) (both non -cotton bearing varieties) Deciduous Shrubs American plum (Prunus americana) big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) golden currant (Ribes aureum) rubber rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus) serviceberry (Amelanchier alnitolia) skunkbrush sumac (Rhus trilobata) • It is not the intention of the mitigation recommendations to convert areas currently supporting stable non-native grass cover to be converted to native grassland species. Conversion of stable non-native grass areas to native grassland is not recommended for three principal reasons. First, although the majority of existing grass cover is non-native, non-native grassland on the property is well -established and meets the general intent of the three objectives listed in the first recommended mitigation measure. Soils are stable in the non-native grassland areas and non-native grass (primarily smooth brome), when not mowed, provides adequate wildlife cover adjacent to riparian habitat. Finally, any attempt to convert well -established non-native grassland habitat to native grassland are likely to fail without intensive management efforts, and converted areas are most likely to be dominated by aggressive, undesirable weedy species such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and kochia (Bassia scoparia). • Maintain, to the extent possible, trees on site that were determined to be significant by the City Forester (Tim Buchanon) during our site visit. Removal of any trees classified as significant would need to be mitigated with replacement trees as per Section 3.2.1 (F) of the Land Use Code. • The intensity of night lighting from the sides of buildings facing the trail system and Cache la Poudre River corridor should be shielded or directed to minimize the intrusion of artificial nighttime light into these areas. Jim, this concludes my evaluation of the Legacy Senior Housing Project development site. If you have any questions or require additional input regarding my evaluation, please give me a call. Sincerely, CEDAR CREEK ASSOCIATES, INC. T. Michael Phelan, Principal CjEDAM (CFE EM ASS®CIl&IRESy INC. 916 Willshire Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521 • (970) 493-4394 March 14, 2012 Jim Birdsall The Birdsall Group 444 Mountain Avenue Berthoud, CO 80513 RE: Abbreviated Ecological Characterization Study (ECS) Letter Report for the Legacy Senior Housing Project Site Jim This letter is submitted in response to Lindsay Ex's request for a brief ECS Report summarizing my thoughts regarding the ecological features of the proposed development site for the Legacy Senior Housing Project. The development site is situated between Pine Street and Linden Street. Poudre Street (essentially an alley) defines the southwest border of the property, while the Cache la Poudre River and its associated recreational trail system abuts the northeast property boundary. Ecological characteristics of the property were reviewed during an on -site meeting with City of Fort Collins staff, you, and me on March 6, 2012. The proposed Legacy Senior Housing development site has minimal ecological value and supports no natural habitat features other than a few trees along the northeast and southwest property edges. The majority of the site is comprised of bare dirt or paved surfaces used for vehicle, equipment, and building material storage. Other than a few narrowleaf cottonwood (Populus angustifolial) trees and one boxelder tree (Acer negundo), the property does not support any native vegetation, wetlands, or other unique habitat features. Vegetation cover is restricted to sparse stands of annual weeds and a small plot of turf grass at the southeast corner. Features of ecological value within 500 feet of the development consist solely of the Cache la Poudre River and the riparian corridor supported along both sides of the river. Development of the Legacy Senior Housing parcel would create no additional impacts to the Poudre River corridor beyond those that are already occurred from existing disturbance and development. The Legacy Senior Housing Project Site is zoned RDR (River Downtown Redevelopment District) and City buffer zone standards (LUC 3.4.1) do not apply to RDR zones. Based on its current zone designation, lack of any natural habitat features, its location between existing development and roadways, and its separation from the river corridor by the paved recreation trail, I do not believe that any habitat enhancement or mitigation measures are appropriate for the proposed development parcel. It would be appropriate, however, to establish additional native shrub and tree plantings on the City owned surface between the northeast property boundary and the recreation trail to create a buffer between the proposed development and the river corridor/trail system. These plantings would create additional habitat diversity (primarily for songbirds) and visual screening between the development parcel and the river corridor and trail system. Native shrub and tree plantings would also establish a more natural vegetation transition zone between the river corridor/trail system and the proposed development. Habitat enhancement/native vegetation screening measures would need to be coordinated with City Natural Resources and Parks and Recreation staff. This potential buffer zone area currently supports nearly solid stand of grass cover comprised primarily of smooth brome (Bromus inermis). The City Parks and Recreation Department maintains an approximate 5-foot wide grass strip, planted with native blue grama (Bouteloua gracils) and buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides), on each side of the paved trail. A review of Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, formerly SCS) soils mapping for the development site area indicates the Paoli fine sandy loam soil -mapping unit underlies the entire project site and trail corridor up to the river embankment. This is an upland soil that, in an undisturbed state, supports native short -grass prairie species such as blue grama, little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and green needlegrass (Nasella viridula). As indicated by the riparian corridor on the project area side of the river corridor, this soil type can also 1 Scientific nomenclature follows the USDA, NRCS Plants Database. Available online at: http://plants.usda.gov/java/